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United States Patent | 5,529,809 |
Glovan ,   et al. | June 25, 1996 |
A metal spray apparatus is provided with a supersonic nozzle. Molten metal is injected into a gas stream flowing through the nozzle under pressure. By varying the pressure of the injected metal, the droplet can be made in various selected sizes with each selected size having a high degree of size uniformity. A unique one piece graphite heater provides easily controlled uniformity of temperature in the nozzle and an attached tundish which holds the pressurized molten metal. A unique U-shaped gas heater provides extremely hot inlet gas temperatures to the nozzle. A particularly useful application of the spray apparatus is coating of threads of a fastener with a shape memory alloy. This permits a fastener to be easily inserted and removed but provides for a secure locking of the fastener in high temperature environments.
Inventors: | Glovan; Ronald J. (Butte, MT); Tierney; John C. (Butte, MT); McLean; Leroy L. (Butte, MT); Johnson; Lawrence L. (Butte, MT); Nelson; Gordon L. (Butte, MT); Lee; Ying-Ming (Butte, MT) |
Assignee: | MSE, Inc. (Butte, MT) |
Appl. No.: | 192691 |
Filed: | February 7, 1994 |
Current U.S. Class: | 427/422; 118/317; 264/12; 427/446; 427/455 |
Intern'l Class: | B05D 001/02; B05C 005/04 |
Field of Search: | 427/446,449,455,456,421,424,425,427 118/317,500 264/121,12 239/82,128 |
4056644 | Nov., 1977 | Howard et al. | 427/284. |
4066117 | Jan., 1978 | Clark et al. | 164/46. |
4485759 | Dec., 1984 | Brandolf | 118/503. |
4512513 | Apr., 1985 | Rogers | 239/8. |
4911805 | Mar., 1990 | Ando et al. | 204/164. |
4919853 | Apr., 1990 | Alvarez | 264/12. |
5206059 | Apr., 1993 | Marantz | 427/449. |